Mount St. Dominic Academy Announces Fall Open House; New Programs, Lab Spaces and Bloomberg Certifications

Mount St. Dominic Academy, the private, Catholic college prep school for girls in Caldwell, has kicked off an exciting 2025-26 school year that features the launch of university dual enrollment for students, Bloomberg certification, and the debut of a brand-new physics lab and dance studio.

Discussing these and other additions to the Mount’s curriculum, faculty and programming at the academy’s fall Open House (Sunday, October 19 at 1pm) will be MSDA Head of School, Mrs. Juliette Picciano. Families with students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, as well as high school students looking for the perfect fit as transfers, are invited to campus to meet Mount students, teachers and coaches, and see for themselves all that MSDA has to offer. Families are encouraged to register for the Open House at www.msdacademy.org, but walk-ins are also welcome.

Seton Hall University Dual Enrollment

Through a new partnership with Seton Hall University, MSDA students can earn college credits without leaving their Mount classrooms. Through SHU’s Project Acceleration, 14 of the Mount’s AP course offerings which span all academic departments, are eligible for dual enrollment, giving students the potential to earn advanced placement at the university level. Dual enrollment credits accepted at a students’ college of choice will also have the potential to shorten the time it will take to earn an undergraduate degree while reducing tuition costs at the same time.

“This partnership with Seton Hall University is a game-changer for our students and families,” says Dr. Karen D’Avino, Academic Dean of MSDA. “They now have the opportunity to gain real college experience while still benefiting from the supportive learning environment we provide at the Mount.”

Bloomberg Certification Program

Mount St. Dominic now sits at the intersection of Wall Street and Ryerson Avenue with the introduction of two Bloomberg Certificate programs. As part of the Mount’s “Introduction to Business” course, Mount students can earn two levels of Bloomberg certification – in the classroom on their own devices. Certifications in “Bloomberg Finance Fundamentals (BFF)” and “Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC)” give students critical insight into the foundational elements of investing, finance, economic indicators, and market analytics.

Access to these certifications as part of the Mount curriculum can provide a competitive edge to students pursuing majors and careers related to business and entrepreneurship.

New Year – New Spaces

This fall, students at the Mount returned to a transformed campus. Thanks to the generosity of alumnae, families, and friends, and a grant from the State of NJ, the Mount completed one of its largest capital projects ever: a fully renovated physics lab with a cutting-edge fabrication studio, a new professional dance studio, and major technological updates to the Doris M. Byrne ‘40 Performing Arts Center. With meaningful and modern upgrades and enhancements, these new experiential and collaborative learning environments make a positive impact for all Mount students.

Open House and Admissions

Families and students interested in learning more about Mount St. Dominic Academy with a faculty that specializes in the education of young women and a student-body that creates bond of sisterhood that last a lifetime, are invited to contact Mrs. Catherine Duran, MSDA Admissions Director at admissions@msdacademy.org. Prospective new families and transfer students can plan a visit as a "Mountie for a Day," ask a question, or apply - all on the admissions page of the MSDA website (www.msdacademy.org/admissions).

About Mount St. Dominic Academy

Mount St. Dominic Academy, founded in 1892 by the Sisters of St. Dominic, is an independent Catholic college preparatory school educating young women from diverse backgrounds. MSDA offers signature programs such as the L.E.O. Entrepreneurship Program, Health Sciences and Social Justice Concentrations, and the Directed Research Senior Capstone, providing real-world experience for future success.

The Mount has earned top honors, including the 2024 College Board AP School Honor Roll “Gold with Access” and AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Awards for AP Computer Science A (2023) and AP Computer Science Principles (2023, 2024). It also received Gold Medals in the 2023 and 2024 Best of Essex contests for Best Private High School and an A+ rating on Niche’s 2024 Best Schools list, awarded to only 2.5% of US schools.

One hundred percent of graduates are accepted to four-year colleges. The 61 graduates of the Class of 2025 earned over $17 million in scholarships and merit awards.